Naked – Review

I am just on fire with these!
Granted, they’re all short reads, under 200 pages, but still! I’m just knocking these books down days at a time and it’s an amazing feeling.
But let’s get serious for a second. The Blackstone Affair. Ethan Blackstone. I knew there was a reason I saved him for last – or for later. As short as The Blackstone Affair books are, there’s so much wonderful content inside them. The books, or in this case, Book 1, Naked, is a quick and easy read, but will not leave readers unsatisfied and will feed their hunger and desire for more Mr. Blackstone. I am not ashamed to admit that I’ve fallen for him, and will GLADLY add him to my list of book boyfriends. Ladies, I implore you to have a extra set of panties in your purse because you will certainly fall for the charms, mannerism, and possessive nature which is Ethan Blackstone.

Brynne Bennett is an America student studying in the University of London. She likes long runs, good coffee and in her spare time she models in order to help pay rent. Leaving a terrible past behind in America, she’s become a strong, confident, independent woman. All of that changes when businessman, Ethan Blackstone appears at one of her friend’s art exhibits and buys one of her portraits. He wants her, badly, and will do absolutely anything and everything to get her and keep her, and that includes in his bed. Brynne falls for his dominating and protective charm and both fall into something neither of them had ever expected – a relationship. But both parties are hiding something; secrets that neither of them are willing to share, and when those secrets are revealed what will become of that which they had cherished so dear?

I LOVE THIS BOOK!
That’s pretty much all I need to say about the matter.
I love that it’s a quick read, it’s short, it’s to the point, and there isn’t any messing about in between.
Both Brynne and Ethan are very strong, capable, independent people; it just so happens that Ethan is a little more dominant than Brynne is used to. Audiences may argue that, “This doesn’t happen”, “Love doesn’t happen that fast”, “This is unrealistic”. Well I say to them “Tough”, because it’s fiction, and readers want the idea that love can happen that fast – that love is unpredictable and can be so good and wonderful and like a dream, but it can also be ripped off faster than a Band-Aid and sometimes there isn’t enough alcohol to make the pain go away.

Author Raine Miller

On the front of the book, Colleen Hoover describes Naked to be “The perfect blend of romance, drama and sexy.” and this blogger couldn’t agree more. However, I would probably describe Naked to be the perfect blend of romance, sexy, and then drama. It really is just enough romance, just enough sexy and just enough drama to not make you want to gag. As the relationship between Brynne and Ethan blossoms to be nothing short of perfect, I don’t find it to be overly romantic that makes me want to die. If anything it raises the red flag to indicate that something bad is going to happen.

“Why are you here, Ethan?”
“It’s a damn good thing I am, isn’t it? That ape was all over you – his mitts on your ass – no telling what he would have tried next!” He glowered at me in the plush seat, his jaw a hard line, his lips set in a slash.
“I believe I handled him very well all on my own-”
Ethan took my face in his hands and kissed me, holding me trapped to his mouth, pushing his tongue in, demanding I allow him access. I moaned and kissed him back, tasting only mint and the faint taste of beer.

The beauty of a short novel is there isn’t any time for filler, or fluff. I believe that it is much harder to write a good, short, novel, rather than something over two-hundred pages. Granted, there is nothing wrong with relationships and feelings developing over-time. It just so happens that certain relationships, like The Blackstone Affair are immediate in their desires. There is an immediate attraction between Brynne and Ethan, and readers know exactly what to expect given the length of the book.

The beauty about my method of reading and waiting for the entire series to come out before reading makes book hangovers non-existent. The downside is that I can potentially read series years after the first book is released. However, I will enjoy falling in love with Ethan Blackstone and his quest to possess the lovely, Brynne Bennett, no matter what the cost. I am certain these two will conquer their demons and eventually find their happy ending together.